"Pharmacy and prescription policy."

I have been a patient attending dermatology for over a year now and I am always happy with the care I have received over this time from this department.

There is however a recent policy change apparently with only white prescriptions now being given for the on site pharmacy and no longer on the green forms that can be taken to your normal local pharmacy.

This new policy is an absolute joke.

Following my dermatology clinic appointment, I visited the pharmacy to be told there was an hour wait for prescriptions. I was told the items were in stock. I said I can't wait and I will return tomorrow to pick up said items. I returned the following day and my ticket was taken and after around 5 minutes I was called to collect a sealed bag. On returning to my vehicle, it occurred to me, given that I had been prescribed the same medication for the same length of time as I was for my previous appointment with a green prescription that the bag might be a little lite. On checking, I had been given 50 days supply and not the 84 day/3 month supply that I had been prescribed to take me to my next clinic appointment.

I returned to the pharmacy to point out the error and it was explained that this length of supply was not hospital policy but they would have a word with the manager. I was then told they were out of stock and they would ring me when they have them in stock to collect.

I am disappointed I will now have to make a third visit to collect medication that was not dispensed that I was originally told was in stock and at no point did anyone care to explain the shortage or reason why when I collected my prescription originally.

Had I not been diligent in checking before leaving, I would have found myself out of medication before my next clinic appointment and my skin condition going out of control after just getting to a point where it appears to be stable.

I'm not sure I understand the reason for the new policy that is a total inconvenience to patients and clearly more work than the pharmacy staff can handle in a prompt manner and whether the hospital now has sufficient stock or manpower to provide a satisfactory service for all the additional work going their way.

Why no green prescriptions any more ? It was a clearly better experience with them and the way things are now is far from satisfactory.